The Hindu Business Line : SAIL hopeful of completing expansion programmes by 2010

New Delhi, Sept. 20 Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) is looking at completing the expansion programmes at all its five steel plants by 2010. The company had earlier planned to complete them by 2011-12.

“To contribute to the growth of the domestic steel sector and maintain the leadership position in the domestic steel market, the company has prepared a roadmap for enhancing its annual hot metal production to over 26 million tonnes (mt) through modernisation and expansion programmes being undertaken in all the five integrated steel plants.

The project completion schedules are also being compressed to 2010, against 2011-12 planned earlier,” Mr S.K. Roongta, Chairman, SAIL, said at the company’s annual general meeting here on Thursday.

Expansion programme

SAIL expects implementation of the modernisation and expansion schemes would help eliminating technological obsolescence, enriching product-mix with the share of finished steel increasing to almost 100 per cent and introduction of customer-centric processes, apart from upgrading infrastructural facilities in the plants to support higher volumes.

The expansion programme also includes upgrading the existing facilities to enable higher production of value-added steel with overall improvement in productivity along with some new facilities.

Forming alliances

Mr Roongta also stated that SAIL’s raw material and power supply bases along with its district dealer network were being strengthened and strategic alliances or joint ventures were being established with domestic and international companies for setting up greenfield steel plants, comprehensive business resource sharing, cement plants in Bhilai, Bokaro and Rourkela for utilisation of solid waste and value addition, steel-related SEZs.

“To meet the growing needs of iron ore, apart from expanding existing mines at Bolani and Gua, new mines are being developed. Forest and environment clearances of the Rowghat iron ore deposit have been recommended by the State Government and are in an advanced stage for approval by the Centre. As regards coking coal, actions have been taken for development of Sitanala as well as Tasra coal blocks. To augment availability of ferro-alloys, an MoU has been signed with Manganese Ore India Ltd for setting up a joint venture unit at Bhilai,” he stated.

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